Paper machinery



Dec. 27,1938. H. ,L. KUTTER 2,141,273 PAPER MACHINERY Filed Nov. 15, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l H. L. KUTTER PAPER MACHINERY Filed Nov. 15, 1935 s Shqets-Sheet 2 Dec. 27, 1938. H. L. KUTTER 2,141,273

, PAPER MACHINERY I Filed Nov. 15, 1955 :5 Sheets- Sheets Patented Dec. 27, 1938 PATENT OFFICE PAPER MACHINERY Herman L. Kutter, Hamilton, Ohio, assignor to The Black-Clawson Company, Hamilton, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application November 15, 1935, Serial No. 49,889

6 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of paper, paperboard, and the like, and more particularly to cylinder mold machines therefor.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a cylinder machine having a vat surface which cooperates with the mold surface in defining the flow path of the stock to the mold surface and which vis arranged to effectively alter the flow conditions in the movement of stock to the mold to obtain a wide variation in the characteristics of Web formation on such a machine.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a cylinder machine, of a means over which stock flows to the mold and including an extending portion directed toward thev mold and pivotally adjustable to control the formation of webs of widely different characteristics.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a cylinder machine of a vat having a wall portion incorporating an apron which is readily adjustable to alter the stock level in the machine vat and to concomitantly vary the flow conditions of the stock to the mold.

:A further object of the invention is the provision of a cylinder machine having a vat structure in which the stock flow, during its traverse of the vat, is repeatedly acted upon at successively spaced points along the efiective forming zone so as to alter the lines of flow. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. In the drawings, which disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a cylinder mold constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a. fragmentary sectional view as indicated by the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig; 3 is a fragmentary sectional view as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a means of adjustment;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view 'taken similarly to Fig. 2 and showing a somewhat. different form of the adjustable structure;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken perpendicularly to the mold axis, and somewhat diagrammatic in character, showing an arrangement of the vat structure that is repeatedly effective on the stock flow as it traverses the vat;

Fig. '7 is a view taken similarly to Fig. 6 showing a somewhat different arrangement for repeatedly influencing the stock flow; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a cylinder machine showing a further modification in the vat structure.

The conditions of stock flow in cylinder machines is an important factor in the determination of the characteristics of a paper web formed thereon. That is, by altering the depth and direction of stock flow, and the speed of flow with respect to the rate of travel of the mold surface, webs having widely varying characteristics may be formed. In explanation of the 'term varying characteristics, and as an example of characteristic differences, it is pointed out that in some instances it may be desirable to form a web having a greater strength in one direction, while for other purposes a web of substantially uniform strength in all directions is desirable, or sheets of different thickness and of different maximum strength may be desired. Through the practice of this invention webs of widely varying characteristics can be formed in a'single machine, only a simple adjustment being required to alter the machine to produce a web of the particular characteristics desired.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views thereof, a cylinder machine is illustrated comprising a vat l0 enclosing a cylinder mold or forming surface it having suitable supporting structure and flow connections common to such machines and known in the art. Stock is admitted to the machine through an inlet l2 adjacent an end of the vat remote from the mold H and flows upwardly within confining walls of which one inclined wall 13 is shown as merging into an apron I 4 which has a transversely extending wall portion l5 over which the stock flows toward the mold. This wall portion preferably inclines upwardly toward the mold. The inner end of the apron I l merges into the vat wall I6 which preferably follows the contour of the forming surface H of the mold.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig.

7 2 the apron I4 is shown as a casting portion which extends across the vat and is suitably supported from the vat side walls as indicated at l8. That portion of the apron portion remote from the mold H is curved downwardly as indicated at H! and forms a smooth flow surface continuing from the inlet wall IS. The portion 20 of the apron casting which lies adjacent the mold ll extends downwardly to the curved vat wall l6.

At that part of the apron portion or wall I5 where the stock flow approaches the mold there is provided adjustable means whereby the direction and depth of the stock flow maybe readily controlled to thus alter the characteristics of the formed web by influencing the positioning of the fibers in the stock flow. As shown, at the junction of the apron wall I5 and the upwardly extending wall portion 20 there is provided a movable member which is adjustably mounted so that it may be swung into a desired one of a plurality of positions; each differently efiecting the stock flow to the mold.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, the movable member is shown as comprising a blade 22 mounted upon a cylindrical member that is pivotally supported on the vat walls and which lies within a recess formed by the wall portion 25 in the apron adjacent the junction of the wall portions I5 and 20. The cylindrical member, which is indicated by the numeral 23 and which is preferably constructed as a tube, as shown,'

extends for the full width of the vat; suitable supporting means being provided in the vat walls whereby this member may be rocked to afford a desired positioning of the blade.

To prevent undesired interruption to the stock flow the apron recess for the blade supporting member 23 is so proportioned that the upper part of the member 23 lies substantially in the plane of the apron face I5. The gap between the member 23 and the curved wall 25 which defines the recess is covered by a thin flexible plate 26 which is attached to the apron face I5 some distance from the member 23 and continues beyond the gap a sufficient distance to overlie and contact with the cylinder part 23. The blade 22, which may be formed from a brass plate, is attached to the tubular member 23 as by brazing and is positioned so that its upper face bears a tan,- gential relationship to the surface of the mem-, ber 23. Suitable stiffeners or brace members 21 are provided to further strengthen the blade 22. By assembling the blade to the member 23- in the manner shown a smooth surface can be afforded having no breaks or interruptions to adversely affect the stock flow.

For support of the blade assembly each end of the tube 23 has a close fitting plug 30 which is provided with an axial opening to receive a shaft extension which may be held therein as by means of set screws. As is shown in Fig. 3, the shaft extension 3I at one end of the tube is received within a bearing cap 32 positioned on the outside of the vat side wall. The opposite end of the tubular supporting member 23 has a shaft extension 34 which extends through the vat side wall and through a supporting bearing 35 incorporating a packing gland 36 to prevent leakage from the vat at this point. Additional support of the tube 23 is afforded by a block 31 of suitable bearing material such as babbitt which is placed within the apron recess intermediate its ends and is shaped to contact the curved face of the underside of the part 23.

Control means are provided to permit adjustment of the blade and to hold the blade in desired positioning. As shown, a ratchet member 38 is fixed to the shaft extension 34 and cooperates with a pawl 40 that serves to hold the blade assembly in desired positioning. The pawl 40, which is pivotally mounted on thestud M, has a weighted extension 42 tending to hold the pawl in engagement with the ratchet. An operating handle 44 is provided on the shaft extension and, as shown, stands parallel to the blade 22 to thus afford an indication of the blade positioning which, during service, is concealed from view by the flow of stock over it.

The range of angular movement of the blade 22 (Fig. 2) is such that it may be moved from a position wherein it lies closely adjacent the wall portion 20 and stands substantially in continuation of that Wall portion as is indicated by the dotted outline 22a. In this position the blade has substantially no effect on the flowing stock and serves merely as a smooth continuation of the flow defining wall over which the stock passes into the forming zone. When moved upwardly to the position indicated in full lines, and wherein the blade stands substantially in continuation of the apron face I5, the effective distance through which stock may flow to contact with the forming surface of the mold is substantially narrowed or reduced and consequently, because of the reduced area, the rate of flow of the stock under such conditions is materially increased at that particular point. After passing that point the speed of fiow is then very rapidly reduced by reason of the comparatively large space beneath the blade into which the stock whirls. This change in area and resulting change in rate of fiow thus produces a stock flow at some point .or points which may equal or exceed the speed of the mold movement, so that the resulting web comprises a fiber mat in which the separate fibers have been interlaced to a degree that the paper Web is of substantially uniform strength in all directions.

' In effect, this positioning of the blade serves to move the weir to a position more closely adjacent the mold than occurs with the blade in the position indicated at 22a so that a more rapid rate of flow occurs for a given stock flow with the blade so positioned. In addition, the thin projecting blade serves to create a whirlpool beneath it so that a very effective intermingling of the fibers results from such a blade positioning. In those instances where it is desired to raise the stock level to a point above that afforded by the apron this may be readily accomplished by a further movement of the blade so that it extends upwardly with respect to the apron surface and as defined by the dotted outline 22b. The blade range of movement is such that it may be positioned to stand at a rather abrupt angular relationship with respect to the apron face so that a material increase in the stock depth is possible. Within this last mentioned range of positioning the flexible plate 26 assumes a positioning such as is indicated at 26a and affords a smooth uninterrupted flow path to the end of the blade. It is to be noted that here also a whirlpool effect may be produced on the underside of the blade which acts to create a random positioning of the fibers. It is further pointed out that the blade exerts its influence on the stock fiow within the initial forming zone, that is, within the zone of formation in which the stock first comes in contact with the forming cylinder and where the formation is most rapid.

It is apparent that through the provision of the simple movable member the operating characteristics of a cylinder machine may be altered to a degree that the characteristics of a web formed thereon may be varied within wide limits. With the member turned downwardly so that it follows the contour of the vat circle it has substantially no effect on the flowing stock, and the weir, then defined by the tubular supporting member 23, is some distance removed from the forming surface so that with a slowly 'moving body of stock a pronounced fiber alignment may occur which will result in the formation of a web having materially greater strength in one direction. By moving the member to the opposite extreme of its angular range of travel the area between the forming surface and the vat circle remain substantially as before. In this position, however, the member serves to materially raise the stocklevel in the vat. Intermediate positions provide for, varying degrees of effect on the stock fiow. In those p'osiface IS the area of stock passage at the forming surface is reduced to a point that the rate of stock flow is materially increased with the resultant effective intermingling of the fibers and production of a web of uniform strength characteristics.

Referring now more particularly to the slightly modified form of the invention illustrated in Fig.

5. the adjustable member or blade 22' is shown as,

4 within which the extending curved part 50 of the member 22 is received. The depth of the recess is sufllcient to accommodate the art 50 when the member 22' is in a lowered position as indicated by the dotted outline. and the part 50 is suffic ently long to extend within the recess when the member is in an elevated position. As shown, a flex ble member 52 is attached to the wall l6 and bears against the part 50, thus serving as a sealing means at this point.

The flat portion 53 of the member 22' extends tangenti ally from the cylindrical member 23' that serves as its support and, like the blade 22 described above, is adjustable across the plane of the apron. In accordance with the constructions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5. the stock is given a whirling action such as will, thoroughly intermix the fibers and cause them all to assume different directions at the point where the downturning side of the forming cylinder enters the stock.

Thus the stock that is initially applied to .the

forming cylinder is appl ed so that its fibers are arranged in different directions. However the formation of the stock continues beyond this initial forming zone, and some stock is deposited up to a point near the bottom of the cylinder due to the fact that the water level within the cylinder is comparatively low as compared with the stock level in the vat. In order that the stock will be kept in a thoroughly mixed condition, even beyond the initial forming zone, the wall of the vat which generally follows the outline of the cylinder itself, is provided with a series of projections or extensions that reach towards the forming cylinder, as shown for example in Figs. 6, 7, and8. These projections are such as will infiuence the stock flow so as to change the speed of flow at different points along the downturning side of the cylinder.

As shown in Fig. 6, the cylinder machine comprises a vat wall l6b which cooperateswith the face of the mold llb in defining the flow path of the stock. At or adjacent the top of the wall Hib is a blade or projection 60, that may have a form .and a point adjacent the bottom of the forming screen. Theseblades, which are preferably mounted for individual pivotal movement by means similar to the moving mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4, extend toward the forming screen far enough so as to cause a considerable change in speed at the point where the stock passes between the ends of the blade and the forming screen surface, and this gives a whirling action in vertical planes along the length of the blade and below the blade. The blades are provided along the entire length of the effective forming zone from the initial forming point to the point where formation practically ceases, it will be apparent that the entire thickness of the paper sheet deposited on the forming screen will be of strong character, its strength being controllable in accordance with the conditioning of the various blades so that the surface characteristics of the paper sheet may be made different from the characteristics of the body portion below the surface.

'As above mentioned, the blades 60 in the construction shown in Fig. 6, are comparatively fiat blades, either fixedly or pivotally mounted. However the blades need not be made fiat, and may be made in accordance with the construction shown in Fig. 7, in which there are rounded projections 10 spaced apart along the entire forming zone and along the inner surface of the vat wall I6c. These projections or ridges 10 of course extend the entire length of the vat, and are fixed in position, the rounded sides of the projections producing the difference in stock flow speed at different points along the forming zone, but changing the direction of the stock in a'more gradual manner so as to avoid violent whirling action below the blades, and also to reduce the tendency for stock to stay in one spot below or above the blades along the wall I60. In this construction, the forming screen Hc rotates clockwise regardless of whether the stock is flowing into the vat over the dam M or whether the stock is flowing into the vat from the opposite side thereof.

In accordance with the construction shown in Fig. 8, the inner surface of the vat wall 13 generally' follows the curvature of the rotatable forming screen I Id, but the surface of the vat wall 13 is corrugated as by means of the corrugated sheet 14 which extends all along the downturning side of the cylinder mold andif desired, along the upturning side as well, so that the velocity of the stock flowing along the surface of the forming screen is changed at successively spaced points all along the length of the forming screen to give the desirable mixing action of the stock fibers in order that any tendency of the stock fibers to align themselves with the direction of flow will be disturbed at successively spaced points throughout the entire forming area.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims. i

What is claimed is:

1. A cylinder machine comprising a cylinder mold and a vat therefor, an apron portion in'the vat comprising an upper wall portion over which the stock overflows toward the mold terminating at a wall portion following the contour of the mold, said apron portion having a recess extendtending across the vat within and substantially filling said recess, and a blade extending from the rotatable member and adapted to adiustably vary the flow conditions of the stock upon movement of said rotatable member.

2. A cylinder machine comprising a cylinder mold and a vat therefor, an apron portion in the vat comprising an upper wall portion over which the stock overflows toward the mold terminating at a wall portion following the contour of the mold, said apron portion having a recess formed between the said wall portions, a member extending across the vat and rotatably mounted thereon, said member lying within the apron recess,- a blade extending tangentially from said member and movable therewith, said blade standing in one adjusted position so that its upper surface is substantially in continuation of the upper wall portion of the apron portion? 3. A cylinder machine comprising a cylinder mold and a vat therefor, an apron portion in the vat opposite the downturning side of the mold comprising an upper wall portion over which the stock overflows toward the mold terminating at a wall portion following the contour of the mold, saidapron portion having arecess extending in a direction 'parallel the mold axis and between the said wall portions, a rotatably mounted member extending across the vat and having a cylindrical portion concentric with its axis of rotation adapted to be positioned within said apron recess, a blade extending tangentially from the upper side of the member toward the mold and movable therewith to a position in which the blade stands in flush relationship with one of the apron wall portions.

4. A cylinder machine comprising a cylinder mold and a vat therefor, an apron in the vat comprising a generally horizontal upper wall portion over which the stock overflows toward the mold and terminating at a wall portion following the contour of the mold, said apron having a recess formed therein extending in the direction of the mold axis intermediate the said wall portions, a rotatably mounted member extending across the vat and lying within said recess with the upper portion thereof tangentially related to the gen erally horizontal apron surface, a blade fixed to the member and extending for the length of said member, said blade being mounted tangential to the upper portion of the member and projecting therefrom toward the mold, and a flexible plate fixed to the generally horizontal apron wall portion and overlying said member.

5. A cylinder machine of the character described comprising a cylinder mold and an open top vat in which the mold operates, said vat having a substantially horizontally disposed wall over which stock flows to the-space around the mold, and a pivotally supported blade adjustable to project from said wall towards the downturning side of the mold and terminating at a predetermined spacing oppositean unobstructed surface of the mold where initial rapid formation takes place.

6. A cylinder machine of the character described comprising a cylinder mold and an open top vat in which the mold operates, said vat having a substantially, horizontally disposed wall provided with a stationary upper surface which extends generally towards the mold and over which stock, while freely exposed at the stock surface, overflows to the spacearound the mold, and an adjustably mounted blade adjustable to project at various predetermined angles of inclination from said wall towards the downturning side of the mold and located at a predetermined distance with respect to an unobstructed surface of the mold where rapid formation takes place to influence the speed of stock flow in the vat within the zone of initial formation.

HERMAN L. KU'I'I'ER. 

